Dragon Age: Origins' Leliana Info

Dragon Age: Origins' Leliana

Dragon Age: Origins' Leliana may have seemed sweet enough, but her initially faithful and spiritual behavior masked an unsavory past. In Leliana's Song, the most recent downloadable content released for last year's excellent role-playing game, you explore the bard's dark side and momentary look the circumstances that led her to pledge to the Chantry in Lothering. Valuable storytelling makes this add-on worth a look for fanatical Dragon Age fans, particularly those that experienced Leliana's personal quest in the original game. Unfortunately, you won't find many surprises lurking within this fun but unremarkable adventure. The combat remains agreeable, but because your party is capped at three rather than the usual four members, battles aren't as exciting as they might have been with a larger party. Though some later encounters in an atmospheric niche grant a little variety, you will fend off the usual foes in a number of well-worn environments.

Leliana in Dragon Age: Origins, you may also have met Marjolaine, her past mentor. Marjolaine plays an important role in Leliana's Song, even though she is not a playable character, and her influence over the pretty and easily influenced Leliana is uncomfortably gloomy. The two bards play "the game," a sport of political deception in which faction are pit against each other with a bit of bright information swapping and document planting. Heavy-handed prophesy keeps the plot twists that follow from being particularly shocking, but the strong characterization of the two main players will draw you in nonetheless. Characters are introduced in short montages that take great advantage of Dragon Age's most important theme: blood. Thanks to unbelievable voice acting and a few effective camera angles, Marjolaine's indifferent smarminess will make you squirm, while Leliana's depraved streak is likely to bring a grin to your face. It's too bad that Leliana's Song rounds out your party with forgettable companions that lack a sense of existence and amount to little more than common henchmen.

It's also too bad that you always control a three-member party in Leliana's Song rather than a distinctive four-person team. Dragon Age's combat is fundamentally fun, but it's strongest when you have a full party under your control. The enemies you fight and the areas you do battle in aren't nearly as inspired as those on offer in Awakening, the full expansion released early this year. You move from city streets to interior hallways, thumping up on soldiers, mages, and mabari, followed by more soldiers, mages, and mabari. The predictable environments and enemies make much of this adventure seem plagiaristic, but several sequences inject some much-needed inspiration. A beautiful gleam of light and a intangible voice provide great visual and narrative context to the escape sequence that follows; skirmish against some sinister creatures in a murky creek toward the conclusion are also a welcome change of pace. Sadly, the final boss battle is not nearly as captivating or enjoyable as those from the main game; though it is difficult, so expect to pause the game often as you put your tactical thinking skills through their pace.

Enormous new music is another show up of Dragon Age: Origins - Leliana's Song. The arched tunes you hear during the first hour suit the joyous wickedness of "the game," and serious music enhances the emotional quality of numerous scenes. It's nice to see the Orlesian bard get her due, though the by-the-numbers clashes and controlled party size keep this three-hour slice of downloadable content from hitting dependable high notes.